Review: How The Civil War Affected The United States

Jessica Blough
His 104
Exam 1
November 2, 2014 The Civil War affected the United States in many ways, some good and others bad. Reconstruction was one of these events, it was one of the most stormy and contentious eras in history. During this era it witnessed America’s first experiment in interracial democracy. The fate of slavery was fundamental to the meaning of the Civil War, so the politics of Reconstruction turned on the position the former slaves would assume in the reunited nation. During the early years of Reconstruction, the president and Congress fought over who was in control. After the assignation of Lincoln, the presidency was left in the hands of Andrew Johnson who was lacking in Lincoln’s moral sense and political judgment.
After Congress rejected Johnson’s Reconstruction plan, they enacted laws and Constitutional amendments that permitted the federal government to enforce the value of equal rights, and gave black southerners the right to vote and hold office. These new laws for the first time protected the principle that the rights of citizens could not be reduced because of their race. President Johnson did not agree with this new law and tried to veto the bill, but congress passed the Civil Rights Act over Johnson’s veto. This bill was the first major law in American History to be passed over a presidential veto. Congress then went on to establish the Freedmen’s Bureau which provided assistance to former slaves. Bureau agents discussed labor contracts and settled disagreements between white and black southerners. Reconstruction was formulating a new system of labor to replace the horrified world of slavery. The economic lives of farmers, and former slaves were transformed because of
It marked a turning point in American history. It encouraged millions of migrants, and carried large scale commercial agriculture to many parts of the globe. Industrialization marked a change to powered, special purpose machinery, factories and mass production. Industrialization also resulted in ugly employment and living conditions for the poor and working classes. Before the Civil War most American men wanted to become farmers or Independent craft workers, but afterward more Americans were becoming comfortable with the idea of working for someone else. Those who worked in factories, their wages were extremely low and working conditions were dangerous. Workers who were unskilled had very little job security, and were easily replaceable. Children were even used in the labor force, they were also forced to work long hours. Employers even began assigning women to jobs such as stenographers and typists. Stores also began hiring saleswomen to interact directly with customers. Industrialization also meant that workers were being replaced by machines. With the loss of so many jobs, workers began taking their anger out on the machines that led them to lose their jobs by destroying factories and